OR Playlist Power Rankings by Specialty

Every surgical tech knows the truth: the success of a case depends on sterile technique, surgical skill, and — let's be honest — whether the surgeon remembers to update their Spotify playlist from 2003.

Music in the operating room is one of those unspoken elements of OR culture that can make or break the vibe during a four-hour case. And if you have worked across multiple specialties, you have noticed something: each service line has its own distinct musical personality. Ortho surgeons are blasting classic rock while they hammer in a hip replacement. Cardiac teams prefer something calmer. And plastics? Well, plastics is a whole different world.

So in the spirit of Friday fun and the universal surgical tech experience of wondering “who chose this playlist,” we present the completely unscientific, highly subjective, but deeply researched (by standing at the Mayo stand for thousands of hours) power rankings of OR music by specialty.

The Methodology Behind the Madness

Before we dive into the rankings, let's establish the criteria. A great operating room playlist needs to balance energy without being distracting, familiarity without being repetitive, and universal appeal without causing the anesthesiologist to roll their eyes for the third time during the same Eagles song.

We are judging each specialty on:

• Consistency — does the whole service line have a signature sound, or is it chaos?
• Energy match — does the music fit the pace and intensity of the procedure?
• Tolerance factor — how long until someone asks to change it?
• Memorable moments — does this playlist create legendary OR stories?

These are the metrics that matter when you are three hours into a case and someone hits shuffle.

The Rankings: From Rock Anthems to Awkward Silence

First Place: Orthopedic Surgery

Ortho takes the crown, and it is not even close. There is something beautifully fitting about classic rock playing while a surgeon is literally using a mallet and chisel on a femur. The high-energy, guitar-driven anthems match the physical nature of the work. Led Zeppelin during a total knee replacement just makes sense.

Ortho playlists are predictable in the best way. You know you are getting classic rock, maybe some AC/DC, definitely some Tom Petty. The music is loud enough to hear over the bone saw but not so intense that it disrupts communication. And because ortho cases often involve power tools and repetitive motions, that driving beat actually helps maintain rhythm and focus.

The only downside? If you hear “Back in Black” one more time during a hip revision, you might lose it. But that is a small price to pay for the most consistently solid OR music experience across the specialty.

Second Place: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Plastics comes in strong at second place with the most modern, varied playlists in the OR. You will hear current pop hits, some indie, occasionally even a Broadway soundtrack. The cases tend to be longer and more meticulous, so the playlist needs range.

What sets plastics apart is the willingness to take requests. Because these cases often involve conscious sedation or local anesthesia, patient preference sometimes factors in. That creates a more collaborative music environment. Plus, plastic surgeons tend to be particular about aesthetics — and that extends to their taste in music.

The downside is inconsistency. One day you are listening to Taylor Swift, the next day it is 90s R&B, and the following week someone discovers lo-fi hip hop beats and the whole room is fighting to stay awake during a four-hour breast reconstruction.

Third Place: General Surgery

General surgery earns the bronze medal for sheer variety. Because gen surg covers everything from appendectomies to complex bowel resections, the playlist tends to reflect that range. You might get classic rock during a cholecystectomy, smooth jazz during a hernia repair, or complete silence during a complicated trauma case.

The flexibility is both a strength and a weakness. On one hand, there is something for everyone. On the other hand, there is no signature sound. You never quite know what you are walking into, and that unpredictability can be jarring when you are trying to get into a rhythm during setup.

General surgery also has the highest percentage of “no music” cases, especially during teaching operations or when the attending is in a focused mood. Silence is its own kind of soundtrack, and in gen surg, you learn to appreciate it.

Fourth Place: Cardiothoracic Surgery

Cardiac surgery sits at fourth place, and the playlist is almost always instrumental. Think smooth jazz, classical, maybe some ambient electronic. The reasoning makes sense: these are high-stakes, high-concentration cases where communication is critical and distractions are minimized.

According to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery examining the impact of music on surgical performance, many cardiac teams reported that instrumental music helped maintain focus without interfering with the complex communication required during bypass or valve replacement procedures. The music is there, but it is background — a gentle hum rather than a driving force.

The challenge with cardiac playlists is that they can sometimes veer into “elevator music” territory. When you are five hours into a CABG and the same piano loop has played three times, it starts to feel less “calming” and more “soul-crushing.” But compared to some other specialties, cardiac keeps it classy.

Fifth Place: Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery rounds out the top five, and the music situation is — to put it kindly — sparse. Many neurosurgeons prefer silence or extremely low-volume instrumental tracks. The cases are long, the margins for error are nonexistent, and the focus required is intense.

When there is music, it is usually classical or ambient. No lyrics, no sudden shifts in tempo, nothing that could break concentration during a delicate dissection near the brain stem. Some neurosurgeons have been known to listen to the same album on repeat for years. One surgical tech told us about a neurosurgeon who played the same Yo-Yo Ma cello recording for an entire decade of spine cases.

Neurosurgery is not trying to win a playlist competition. It is trying to keep people neurologically intact. Fair enough.

Honorable Mentions and Dishonor Roll

A few specialties deserve special recognition outside the main rankings.

Ophthalmology gets an honorable mention for having surprisingly upbeat music considering the precision required. Cataract cases often feature classic hits from the 60s and 70s, and the vibe is generally pleasant. The cases are short enough that even a questionable song choice does not overstay its welcome.

Urology is all over the map. Some urologists bring the energy with rock and pop. Others go completely silent. There is no middle ground, which makes it impossible to rank but fascinating to observe.

OB-GYN during C-sections often features music chosen by the patient, which can lead to the most eclectic and emotionally charged playlists in the hospital. One minute you are hearing a power ballad, the next it is a worship song, and then suddenly it is 90s hip hop. It is chaotic, it is beautiful, and it absolutely reflects the intensity of bringing a new life into the world.

And then there is the Dishonor Roll: Vascular Surgery. Not because vascular has bad taste, but because in many vascular ORs, there is just no music at all. These cases are often urgent, the rooms are tense, and the focus is survival. Silence is the soundtrack, and honestly, it fits.

Why OR Music Actually Matters

This whole ranking is tongue-in-cheek, but the truth is that operating room music serves a real purpose. Research from the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) has explored how music in the surgical environment can reduce stress for the surgical team, improve focus during repetitive tasks, and create a more positive work atmosphere during long cases.

For surgical techs, respiratory therapists, and other allied health professionals who spend hours in the OR, that playlist becomes part of the daily experience. It is a small detail, but small details matter when you are standing at the Mayo stand for the fourth hour of a complex procedure.

The music also reflects something deeper about OR culture — the unspoken communication, the team dynamics, the way each specialty develops its own rituals and routines. Whether it is the ortho team bonding over their shared love of 80s rock or the cardiac team finding calm in a string quartet, these playlists become part of the identity of the service line.

The Playlist You Wish Existed

If we could design the perfect universal OR playlist, it would have a few key features. It would start with moderate energy to help the team get into the zone during setup and prep. It would transition to steady, familiar tracks during the main portion of the case — nothing jarring, nothing that requires a skip. And it would have enough variety that you are not hearing the same twelve songs on rotation every single day.

It would also have an understanding that sometimes, silence is the right choice. Not every case needs a soundtrack, and the best playlists are the ones that know when to pause.

But until that perfect playlist is created, we will keep navigating the beautiful chaos of OR music by specialty. And surgical techs everywhere will keep silently judging the surgeon who insists on playing their “Discovery Weekly” playlist during a major abdominal case.

Where Does Your Specialty Land?

If you are an allied health professional working across multiple specialties, you have probably developed strong opinions about OR music. Maybe you are team ortho, fully on board with the classic rock energy. Maybe you prefer the calm instrumental vibe of cardiac. Or maybe you are just grateful when anyone remembers to turn on music at all.

The beauty of travel contracts and per diem work is that you get to experience all of it — the good playlists, the questionable ones, and the rooms where the attending insists on talk radio (a true crime against OR culture, if we are being honest).

If you are looking for your next surgical tech, respiratory therapy, or perioperative role and want to explore what the OR music scene is like at facilities across the country, email contact@intuites.healthcare with the specialties you are most interested in.